


The Invitation

by Mimi011



Series: Hangry, More Like [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Body Sharing, Crossover, Implied Cannabalism, Self-help, Sequel, Stalking, get some help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 06:10:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16487270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimi011/pseuds/Mimi011
Summary: Spiderling is powerful, Venom pushed him their memories of past fights, past losses with the young hero. We are losers, Eddie. Not in a position to deny him.Eddie tapped his foot anxiously, weighing his options. He knew Spider-Man, sort of. The hero wasn’t one to give up so easily. He’d probably follow them all day, if not all week, to get whatever it was he wanted from them.“Fine,” he buckled, making an effort to not notice how Spider-Man’s face lit up.





	The Invitation

It was noon on a Saturday, the smoky city air just beginning to crisp. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Eddie felt Venom’s content satisfaction with the welcome change in temperature. The summer had been so, so sweaty- not as bad as summer in San Francisco had been, but still too hot for the symbiote’s liking. Now it was just cold enough for Eddie to wear hoodies again. Finally, long sleeves and jeans instead of t-shirts and shorts. Back into Eddie’s clothing comfort zone. And with their anti-hero lifestyle, they had to cherish the small things. 

Especially since peaceful moments seemed to be few and far between.

 **Eddie.** The symbiote cut off from begging his to buy them tater tots. **We are being followed.**

Eddie sighed and makes an effort to keep his eyes facing forward. “ _Really? On a Tuesday?”_ he whispers.

 **Really.** Venom confirmed.

_“Go figure.”_

A plan already forming, Eddie led them across the city, circling shopping districts to try to dissuade their follower. Half an hour later and they are still being followed. Their pursuer must have had time to kill. Eventually, they came across a corner grocery store and ducked inside. Eddie strolled through the aisles for a minute or too, picking up a couple bars of chocolate per Venom’s request.

“Ya know,” he said finally as he glanced over the prices of marshmallows. “I’m a journalist, right? I know how to investigate people without being caught.”

He turned on his heels and saw a mop of brown hair retreat behind the shelf.

“But you’re no journalist, are you?” said Eddie, circling the shelf to catch his follower.

In front of him was a teenager, well-dressed in a nice sweater and khakis. He gripped the straps of his backpack as his face paled considerably, his eyes blown wide when he realized he’d been found out.

“Are you a journalist?” he repeated.

The teen shook his head. “No, sir,” he said.

Eddie sighed, “Then what are you doing following me around, huh?”

The boy opened his mouth to answer, and then shut it, and then opened it again before finally speaking. “I wanted to talk to you, I guess.”

“You followed me for thirty minutes just to talk?” Eddie asked, incredulous.

His follower blanked for a moment. “Yeah, that sounds kinda stupid,” he admitted.  “I meant like, I need to talk to you- it’s important. Just not, maybe not here? Somewhere more private?”

Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you, kid?”

The teen stopped as if caught by the question. After a moment of internal deliberation, he swung his backpack around and unzipped it carefully. He angled the backpack towards Eddie so that he could see inside.

The journalist met the mysterious teenager’s gaze, trying to find some explanation in the other’s eyes. The only hint he was given was a nod to the backpack. With some hesitance, Eddie peeked into the open bag.

Inside was a familiar red and blue suit. 

Eddie’s eyes darted back up to the kid’s- to Spider-Man’s- face. The teen nodded in confirmation.

 **The Spiderling,** Venom growled in his head. 

“S _hhh_ ,” Eddie shushed the symbiote, startling Spider-Man.

“I didn’t say anything-”

“Not you,” said Eddie, tapping a finger against his temple. “ _Him_.”

Spider-Man blanked for a moment before nodding in understanding.

 **The Spiderling is a child,** the symbiote noticed. **You said we are not allowed to hurt children, but we have hurt him.** A wisp of something close to regret and shame echoed from his Other.

“I didn’t know he was a kid,” he said, and then to Spider-Man, “How old are you? Twelve?”

Spider-Man frowned and answered, “I’m fifteen.”

“Oh my god,” Eddie groaned, turning his back on the teenager and heading to the cashier.

Spider-Man followed on his heels as Eddie placed his chocolate on the counter and passed the disgruntled old man behind the counter a ten dollar bill.

“Shouldn’t you be in school, or something?” he bit.

“School ends at two. It’s four,” said Spider-Man.

“Then shouldn’t you be doing your homework?” Eddie countered.

The teenager bristled and said, “There are things more important than homework.”

“Oh, like stalking some strange man getting groceries?” he quipped as the cashier handed him his bag of chocolate and his change. The journalist nodded to the man before leading Spider-Man out of the store and back onto the street. 

“I’m not stalking you- I’m investigating! Isn’t this what you do all the time?” said Spider-Man, walking by Eddie’s side.

“Kid, the difference between stalking and investigating is that an investigator is paid,” he said. “A stalker, like you, is not.”

Spider-Man sputtered for a moment before coming back to his point. “But I needed to talk to you- how else was I supposed to get in contact?”

“My website,” Eddie offered easily.

“It would’ve taken too long to prove to you that it was me,” the teenager said. “And this is important.”

Eddie stopped in the back of a crowd of pedestrians waiting for the crosswalk light to turn green. He kept his eyes trained ahead of him, trying not to look at Spider-Man. However, he couldn’t ignore the teen bopping in and out of his peripheral vision. 

 **Spiderling is powerful,** Venom pushed him their memories of past fights, past losses with the young hero. **We are losers, Eddie. Not in a position to deny him.**

Eddie tapped his foot anxiously, weighing his options. He knew Spider-Man, sort of. The hero wasn’t one to give up so easily. He’d probably follow them all day, if not all week, to get whatever it was he wanted from them.

“Fine,” he buckled, making an effort to not notice how Spider-Man’s face lit up.

People began walking across the street. They went along with the crowd until they reached an alley. Eddie quickly ducked into the darkness, Spider-Man following close behind. Soon they were mostly out of view from the street.

Eddie turned to address the teenage hero. “Follow my lead, okay?”

Spider-Man nodded eagerly.

Black tendrils seeped from Eddie’s skin and shot forward to grab hold of the railing of a fire-escape. He sent the teen a smirk before Venom propelled them up the side of the building, climbing to the rooftop with ease. Once they reached the top, the symbiote receded enough to still be visible out of the neck of Eddie’s hoodie, like a snake curled around his neck. He flowed over the edge of the building to see the teen’s progress.

Venom let out a deep, chuckle, and hummed, **“The Spiderling is coming.”**

Eddie peered over rooftop into the alleyway below. To his surprise, Spider-Man was scaling the building without his suit, his hands and feet sticking to the vertical surface as if he were crawling on the ground. He reached the top in less than a minute and pulled himself over the edge of the roof.

“You guys are- you’re really fast,” he said, a little breathless.

“So are you,” Eddie returned. “I always thought you got your powers from your costume- being Tony Stark’s wonder-kid, and all.”

Spider-Man shook his head. “The suit helps me out a lot, but I’m still Spider-Man without it, you know?” he said as he flexed his fingers. “I have like, sticky hands and feet, and super-strength, and this Spidey-sense thing- and Mr. Stark said I have enhanced reflexes, too.”

“. . . Wow,” said Eddie after a moment.

Venom slithered farther out of his hood. **“Strong,”** he said, giving the hero a look over. **“But tiny.”**

“Tiny?” Spider-Man gasped. “We’re almost the same height!”

 **“Taller than you, little one,”** said Venom.

“Barely,” the teen grumbled, and then addressed Eddie. “So what, is he your ‘inner demon,’ or something?”

The investigator shrugged. “Yeah, something like that.”

Venom scowled. **“Not a demon,”** he protested, baring his fangs at Spider-Man.

The teen gulped, “Right, sir. Sorry.”

 **“Sir . . .”** the symbiote chuckled. **“We like you, Spiderling.”**

“Do we?” Eddie asked, sending Venom a sideways glance before facing Spider-Man. “Look, kid, why’d you come looking for us?”

 “I talked to Mr. Stark,” said the teenager. “He wants to help.”

“Help? Wait, you mean- help me?” said Eddie.

“Yeah! I told him about your like, eating people problem,” he said excitedly. “He says he can fix it! All he needs is to do some tests, take some samples- then hopefully you don’t need to be a cannibal anymore.”

He swung his backpack off and rummaged around inside it, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Eddie. The investigator took it slowly and unfolded it.

 

_Avengers Compound_

_12:00 pm_

_Bring your friend_

_-Tony Stark_

 

The investigator made a sour face at the billionaire’s glossy signature. “Is this a letter to you or me?” Eddie asked, shoving the paper in his hoodie’s pocket.

“Uh, you? It’s an invitation,” said Spider-Man.

“So ‘bring your friend’ means-”

“Venom, yeah,” the teen confirmed.

The symbiote purred at the approval. **“Invitation is for me, Eddie,”** he said. **“You are the friend that** **_I’m_ ** **bringing.”**

“Either way,” Eddie murmured. Venom chuckled and butt his head into Eddie’s cheek affectionately.

 **“Either way, Spiderling,”** Venom addressed the teenager then. **“Eddie and I are more than friends.”**

Eddie’s face flushed pink with embarrassment at the unexpected comment.

“Huh? You mean- you two-?” Spider-Man stammered until realization washed over his face. His mouth made an ‘o’. “Are you two, like, a thing? A _thing_ thing?”

Venom nodded, and explained, **“Bonded. Eddie is my perfect host.”**

“ _Oh,_ ” said the teenager. 

“It’s not like that!” Eddie said, trying to defend himself. “He- he means that literally. Our bodies are physically bonded.”

 **“Perfect host,”** Venom insisted.

“Yeah,” said the investigator. “We’re more than friends in the sense that we share the same body, not that we’re- ya know.”

The symbiote turned to him. **“Aren’t we?”**

 _“Fuck you- now is not the time,”_ Eddie growled under his breath to his Other.

 **“Pussy,”** Venom retorted.

“Look, I don’t really care what you guys do- uh, besides eating people, I guess,” Spider-Man said. “Mr. Stark wants us to come over this Saturday. He didn’t put it on the invite. I think he’s being paranoid about it, but I mean, I guess it makes sense.”

“Us- you’re coming too?” said Eddie.

“Paranoid,” he repeated. “I think he wants me to be like, your guard, or something.”

Eddie snorted, “Go figure.”

Spider-Man nodded and licked his lips nervously. “So, uh,” he began. “You’ll come?”

 **“We’ll come,”** Venom answered, almost surprising Eddie.

The teenager sent them a tentative smile. “Great,” he said, “I’ll, uh, see you later, then.”

“Yeah,” said Eddie. “See you.”

With that, Spider-Man left them with an awkward wave and climbed back down the building, leaving Eddie and Venom alone of the rooftop.

“What makes you so eager to stop eating bad guys?” Eddie asked his Other softly, unsure of the sudden change.

Venom hummed to himself, his brow drawn in thought. **“You dislike eating people.”**

“It’s not so terrible anymore,” said Eddie.

 **“You don’t like it,”** Venom pressed. **“We enjoy hunting, but we hate how you feel afterwards.”** The symbiote frowned. **“If Stark can help us survive without eating heads, then you will be happier."**  

“But-” Eddie shook his head, off-put by Venom’s care. “But what about you?”

The symbiote grinned, **“We feel what you feel, Eddie. Your happiness is our happiness.”**

Eddie opened his mouth, but said nothing for a moment, mulling over the possible implications of Venom’s decision.

“Thank you,” he said at last.

A warm, all-encompassing feeling ran through his body.

**“Anything for you, Eddie.”**

  
  



End file.
